Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2022-23 season thread part III

[NjDevsRR]

Tough buildings?

The renovated ones, yes.

 

[guitarguyvic]

View attachment 620727

 

[njdevils1982]

You sure you don’t mean The Rise and Fall of Alex Holtzdust and the Spiders from Newark?

or these guys

 

[njdevils1982]

The renovated ones, yes.

clever shit. well played.

 

[Devs3cups]

Of course the day I’m finally back in this place, the devils find a way to blow a game against our most hated rival. LOL

As soon as I left they rattled off 13 consecutive wins. 18-2-1 in the timespan I was gone. You’re welcome everyone.

If this is the start of a bad stretch for them now, then my sincere apologies for being a hard luck charm. However, I don’t think that’s going to be the case. I’d like to say Thank You to this group of players for proving me hideously wrong about them. This is a very good team, good enough from my observations that I might actually start getting labeled an “optimist”.

In all seriousness, glad to have you back! Surprised by the post after a loss to the Rangers, but I’m glad you’re happy with the team! I think most of us are right now!

 

[McDuffz88]

I'm not going to talk crap about this team but it's obvious we need to get back to the formula that had us winning games in the 1st place and that's rolling all 4 lines. As it stands our 4th line of Rango-Boqvist-Holtz is a dead line. It's a mix of players who don't play well together. We need to split them apart. Sharangovich can work in many positions but not in a 4th line role. We aren't exactly doing Holtz/Boqvist any favors. If I was Lindy for now I would roll
Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Tatar-Nico-Bratt
Wood-Mcleod-Zetterlund
Boqvist-Haula-Holtz
Things need to be tweaked & it's obvious. Holtz/Boqvist need a better defensive minded player to help them out & Hughes is a 1 man army & I highly doubt Haula is the reason why. Hughes will do just as good with Sharangovich if not even better. It's time to start rolling all 4 lines. That's our only chance to success.

 

[NjDevsRR]

I'm not going to talk crap about this team but it's obvious we need to get back to the formula that had us winning games in the 1st place and that's rolling all 4 lines. As it stands our 4th line of Rango-Boqvist-Holtz is a dead line. It's a mix of players who don't play well together. We need to split them apart. Sharangovich can work in many positions but not in a 4th line role. We aren't exactly doing Holtz/Boqvist any favors. If I was Lindy for now I would roll
Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Tatar-Nico-Bratt
Wood-Mcleod-Zetterlund
Boqvist-Haula-Holtz
Things need to be tweaked & it's obvious. Holtz/Boqvist need a better defensive minded player to help them out & Hughes is a 1 man army & I highly doubt Haula is the reason why. Hughes will do just as good with Sharangovich if not even better. It's time to start rolling all 4 lines. That's our only chance to success.

Nah. It’s much much simpler than this.

Tatar Hischier Bratt
Haula Hughes Mercer
Sharangovich Boqvist Zetterlund
Wood McLeod Johnsson

Holtz is unfortunately dead weight. Too ineffective on bottom six, too slow for how the top 6 plays. Send him back to the AHL.

 

[devilsfan35]

Holtz needs to be sent down. He clearly doesn’t fit the team right now

 

[NjDevsRR]

When will the NHL actually market one of the best American born centers in the league?

 

[McDuffz88]

Nah. It’s much much simpler than this.

Tatar Hischier Bratt
Haula Hughes Mercer
Sharangovich Boqvist Zetterlund
Wood McLeod Johnsson

Holtz is unfortunately dead weight. Too ineffective on bottom six, too slow for how the top 6 plays. Send him back to the AHL.

Agreed. I wouldn't mind at this point if we just packaged Holtz up for a power forward. If we're going to make a big splash on the trade market he's going to be our biggest prospect going back. If I'm Fitz I send Holtz down and start scouting out some trades. Even with Palat back I still think we need a top 6 player. I would even try Zettlund with Hughes just out of curiosity.

 

[NJ07102]

Time to end the Holtz experiment and send him to where he belongs and that is Utica. The guy unfortunately is not an NHL player and will never be one. Too slow, no vision, bad passer and especially a very low hockey IQ – a one trick pony that is nothing without the one trick. Until Palat or Bastian return, they should put Johnsson in. Not great, but better than Holtz. If I was Fitz, I'd try to trade Holtz and maybe a Bahl to get an upgrade up front. But the market value of Holtz will probably be incredibly low at this point. Should've traded him in the summer after all those beautiful AHL-goals he scored.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

6 point in our last 5 games while being on a somewhat "slump" is still not bad. 2-1-2. That's the same as going 3-2-0 practically in the point totals. The disappointing part is we blew the Nashville game and tonight game. The penalties called were soft but that stretch where we gave up 2 fast goals killed us. We had a good 3rd period too where we controlled play , we were the better team despite losing. It sucks blowing a lead to those clowns but it is what it is. We still walk away with a hard earned point and have the advantage in the heads up record against them in the standings. It's 2 games where we let an extra point slip away....it sucks but we are still basically 2nd in the league still. This team is playing so much better than last year that our expectations game in and game out have skyrocketed lol.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Time to end the Holtz experiment and send him to where he belongs and that is Utica. The guy unfortunately is not an NHL player and will never be one. Too slow, no vision, bad passer and especially a very low hockey IQ – a one trick pony that is nothing without the one trick. Until Palat or Bastian return, they should put Johnsson in. Not great, but better than Holtz. If I was Fitz, I'd try to trade Holtz and maybe a Bahl to get an upgrade up front. But the market value of Holtz will probably be incredibly low at this point. Should've traded him in the summer after all those beautiful AHL-goals he scored.

He's actually great offensively and not just a 1 trick pony. Boqvist isn't a great center and I'm pretty sure Sharanogvich isn't too thrilled being relegated to a 4th line. They literally played like 4 minutes tonight. Holtz needs to be sent down so he can play 18 to 20 minutes a night instead of playing on eggshells for Ruff. It's way too early to call him a bust. He has been on a very short leash this season. He still has plenty of time to prove himself.

Sharangovich should not be playing that little of ice time. This is a contract year and the last thing I want is him to be moved to another team because of his usage.

 

[NJ07102]

He's actually great offensively and not just a 1 trick pony.

Yeah, right, if Holtz is great offensively, then someone like Jack Hughes is what? It is very simple: Holtz is not a good NHL player at this time and he never will be. He has too many deficiencies and some of them are not curable.

 

[bossram]

Yeah. The Shara - Boqvist - Holtz line was destined to fail. It's really just the spare parts thrown together. And I'm lower on Boqvist than most, so I figured it would not be great.

I would prefer not to mess around with the other lines though. The top-two lines are very effective. Get Holtz back to Utica for more playing time and swap in Johnsson for more jam on the 4th line.

Then wait until Bastian/Palat are back.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Yeah, right, if Holtz is great offensively, then someone like Jack Hughes is what? It is very simple: Holtz is not a good NHL player at this time and he never will be. He has too many deficiencies and some of them are not curable.

Hard to be a good NHL player in four minutes of ice time.

Another Swedish forward had no points in 20 minutes.

 

[NJ07102]

Hard to be a good NHL player in four minutes of ice time.

Another Swedish forward had no points in 20 minutes.

This is a very tiring discussion. If you can't see it yourself, then I can't help you.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I'm not sure what NJ does at the TD. Originally I thought a triggerman for the PP like Tarasenko would be the optimal choice. Now I believe center depth could be their priority. If healthy, which is a big if, this is what I see NJ going with down the stretch.

Tatar - Hischier - Bratt
Palat - Hughes - Mercer
Sharangovich - Haula - Zetterlund
Wood - McLeod - Bastian

 

[glenwo2]

Holtz needs to be sent down. He clearly doesn’t fit the team right now

I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever fit the team, though.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Hard to be a good NHL player in four minutes of ice time.

Another Swedish forward had no points in 20 minutes.

He simply isn't making plays with the puck, I would be moving him at this point. He still has value.

 

[Mgd31]

Time to end the Holtz experiment and send him to where he belongs and that is Utica. The guy unfortunately is not an NHL player and will never be one. Too slow, no vision, bad passer and especially a very low hockey IQ – a one trick pony that is nothing without the one trick. Until Palat or Bastian return, they should put Johnsson in. Not great, but better than Holtz. If I was Fitz, I'd try to trade Holtz and maybe a Bahl to get an upgrade up front. But the market value of Holtz will probably be incredibly low at this point. Should've traded him in the summer after all those beautiful AHL-goals he scored.

This is year 1 of his ELC, he has time to figure it out until at least next year before his value takes a bit hit. They will need to trade him while he is still cheap.

Sure, if the game doesn't slow down enough for him, he will never be a consistent NHL player. Yea it would suck, but keep it mind, a lot of non-top 3 NHL picks don't work out. Look at literally single NHL draft.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Time to end the Holtz experiment and send him to where he belongs and that is Utica. The guy unfortunately is not an NHL player and will never be one. Too slow, no vision, bad passer and especially a very low hockey IQ – a one trick pony that is nothing without the one trick. Until Palat or Bastian return, they should put Johnsson in. Not great, but better than Holtz. If I was Fitz, I'd try to trade Holtz and maybe a Bahl to get an upgrade up front. But the market value of Holtz will probably be incredibly low at this point. Should've traded him in the summer after all those beautiful AHL-goals he scored.

Seems a little ridiculous to say in someone’s age 20 season. Cole Caufield had 1 goal in 30 games with outrageously bad defense before he figured it out last year. But you know Holtz will never be an NHL player, ever. Okay!

 

[Call Me Al]

holtz can definitely be an nhl player, it's ludicrous to say otherwise but he is definitely not an NHL player on this team right now.

maybe it's because of the short leash but he can't make simple plays - once he gets the puck he is like a deer in headlights, for every successful pass he makes there's an example of him holding onto it too long and losing a board battle, he just doesn't process the game fast enough yet.

maybe the AHL won't help him figure that part of the game out but he's hurting the team right now, we don't need automatic turnovers for someone whose payoff should be a lethal shot, but can't get any shots off. he has 1 shot on goal in his last 4 games

 

[Billdo]

Sharangovich isn't a guy that can play 6 mins a night in a 4th line role and be effective. Neither is Boqvist or Holtz but I look at Sharangovich as part of those secondary players who supplement the Bratt, Hischier, and Hughes group. I might try these lines...

Sharangovich-Hughes-Bratt
Tatar-Hischier-Zetterlund
Haula-Boqvist-Mercer
Wood-McLeod-Johnsson

 

[Saugus]

Seems a little ridiculous to say in someone’s age 20 season. Cole Caufield had 1 goal in 30 games with outrageously bad defense before he figured it out last year. But you know Holtz will never be an NHL player, ever. Okay!

Agreed, it's too early to give up on Holtz. I think it's clear that he has not been up to standard consistently, and he cannot justify his roster spot at the NHL level right now. But he still has value, and plenty of time to develop. I think it would be a mistake to say he must be traded now.

If a trade is there at the deadline for a guy like Tarasenko or Meier and he's a chip in that deal, so be it. But we should not be actively looking to trade him, which some posters seem to be advocating for.